


Prompt #042 Lost

by kurgaya



Series: Divine Footsteps [13]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Implied Torture, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Translation Available, Перевод на русский | Translation in Russian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-05
Updated: 2013-04-05
Packaged: 2017-12-07 13:18:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/748941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kurgaya/pseuds/kurgaya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They were back. They were fine.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Prompt #042 Lost

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Зарисовка #042 Потерянный](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6146947) by [a_m](https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_m/pseuds/a_m)



**As It Should Be**

The news that the three captured officers had been returned to Soul Society and were currently resting in the fourth division sent a sigh of relief through every member of the Gotei Thirteen. The prospect of losing two taicho and a fukutaicho to the enemy had rocked the army greatly, but nothing had affected the people more than the idea that they might never see three of their friends again. This is why the announcement that Ichigo and Toshiro Kurosaki, the taicho of the fifth and tenth divisions respectively, and Nanao Ise, the eighth division fukutaicho, were back home and very likely to make full recoveries, brought such a cheer to the land of the dead.

They still had a tough journey ahead of them due to the injuries they had gained, but the three officers could safely say that they were glad to be back, alive and, mostly, in one piece.

"I see Unohana-taicho has released you," said Nanao with a smile, watching as the fifth division taicho finished folding away his hospital gown, now dressed in his usual black and white uniform. She had been hurt the least of the three shinigami, and so had left the fourth division's care some days before. Kyouraku hadn't let her return to her duties however (which took a lot of effort, especially from a man as lazy as him) so she was free to do as she liked; including checking in on her two ex-cell mates.

"Yeah," Ichigo said lightly. " _Finally_." He slung Zangetsu onto his back, relaxing at the familiar, protective weight, and then turned to his husband, moving sluggishly at the other end of the room. It was hard to say which of them had come out of their imprisonment worse off, for the torture used on them had varied depending on their enemy's desires, but along with the expected cuts, slashes, bruises, bumps, and broken bones, Ichigo had sustained a rather brutal head injury that would have surely killed him if he hadn't been a Kurosaki, and Toshiro had been forced a little too close to fire for either of their liking.

Ichigo ground his teeth as he spied the top of the bandages wrapped around his lover, unhidden by his hair or haori. They coiled from his neck down to the bottom of his ribcage, and even with them protecting what was left of Toshiro's scarred back, Ichigo could still trace every inch of the dark,  _ugly_  burn that had eaten away the taicho's pale skin.

It made him remember how  _afraid_  Toshiro had been.

How much he had  _screamed_.

(He wasn't sorry for hacking the  ** _bastard_** that thought it would be _funny_  to setToshiro's  _hair alight_  to pieces)

(Nobody had lived long enough to make him apologise anyway)

"Rangiku's been doing her paperwork," Nanao continued, pushing her glasses up her face, the bruise that had almost knocked two of her teeth out having not yet faded completely. "I told her that you're not returning to the office for a while."

She glared expectantly at Toshiro at these words, knowing that he'd otherwise be back behind his desk within minutes of leaving Unohana's care. Ichigo barked a laugh from beside her and added, "Nanao's right - we're going home Toshiro. I'm not letting you go back to work for  _at least_  a week."

Toshiro sighed, rolling his eyes. Hyorinmaru was gripped tightly in his right hand, his left still slightly sore from having his fingers broken, but the lack of any witting comment in reply told the two other people in the room that,  _perhaps_ , more than a week's leave was going to be needed.  



End file.
